PENANG police thwarted an attempt by an international drug syndicate to smuggle drugs, worth RM690,635, to a neighbouring country with the arrest of three men in a hotel room in Jalan Hassan Abbas, Teluk Bahang, near George Town, two days ago.

Penang Criminal Investigation Department chief Rahimi Ra’ais said the raid on the hotel was conducted at 9.15pm following a tip-off and police intelligence.

“There were three men, aged 34 to 41, in the room and following inspection, the police found 18 plastic packages, believed contain syabu, weighing 19.18kg,” he told a press conference in George Town today.

“Police also seized two pistols with one magazine containing 16 9mm bullets and one magazine containing three 9mm bullets as well as five mobile phones.”

Also present at the press conference was Penang Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah.

Rahimi said investigations revealed that the three men, who are locals, were members of an international drug trafficking syndicate and they were staying at the hotel, believed to be waiting for the time to go out to sea to send the drugs to a neighbouring country.

Police are now tracking down other members of the syndicate, including the mastermind, he said.

He added that the suspects, who tested positive for drugs, have four to 10 previous records for crime and drug-related cases. – Bernama, November 13, 2021.